by Leigh Goessl

Created on: March 16, 2009   Last Updated: September 11, 2009

Pursuing higher education is challenging for any adult returning to school after an extended absence from the classroom. It is sometimes intimidating to consider the idea of term paper deadlines, reading assignments and being called on by the professor in the classroom.

Single mothers have additional burdens that make pursuing a college degree feel impossible at times. Yet despite these challenges, many single mothers are finding their way back into the classroom.

Today's universities offer much in terms of flexibility and assistance for single mothers that attaining that college degree is no longer out of reach. Single mothers have many struggles while pursuing higher education, but with the right balance of motivation and research to get the help you may need, college is entirely possible.

Here are a few of the larger barriers single mothers run into when it comes to going back to college:

*Time

As a single parent, time always feels at a premium. Between the kids' schedules, most likely a job and other appointment commitments, tacking on an academic schedule often may feel impossible. It is common for exhaustion to kick in and this may make education feel as if it is an unattainable goal.

One way to get around this is to start slow. Colleges don't require you go to school full time; instead you can take one or two courses at a time, whichever best fits your pace. Slow and steady almost always wins the race.

On the plus side, going back to school forces also strong time management. Many single mothers, after taking the educational plunge, find themselves actually able to jam in more to their schedule in a timely fashion. College has a strange way of getting people organized and once this hurdle is crossed, pursuing a degree is much easier.

*Childcare

Single mothers frequently have childcare issues. This often causes a struggle in going back to college because moms need to make sure their children are in the care of someone they can trust while they are away.

One solution to this is distance learning. Many of today's accredited universities almost always offer some sort of online learning program. With this innovation, single mothers have the opportunity to attend college right from the comforts of their home computer.

*Finances

The cost of education is high and many single mothers fear they cannot afford to maintain their household and pay tuition too. Money is a problem many single mothers worry about. The good news is that there are many scholarships and

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